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DJ Vlad Talks "Boondocks" Season 3 Cameo

Yesterday, the interwebs were buzzing because the trailer for the third (and final) season of Adult Swim's ever controversial but always on-point show The Boondocks was finally released. We enjoyed jamming to Jay Electronica's "Exhibit C" while getting a look into what to expect from the upcoming season, but we were surprised to catch a glimpse of DJ Vlad interviewing the show's hilarious rapper character Thugnificent in a brief clip.

We're not totally sure, but having DJ Vlad on The Boondocks might make him the first hip-hop blogger to have his likeness turned into a cartoon character. Which is why we hit up DJ Vlad himself to get the inside scoop on how his cameo came about, why he's such a big fan of the show, and why the show is as controversial as ever...

Interview By Insanul Ahmed

Complex: We caught your cameo in the Boondocks season 3 trailer. Did you actually go lend your voice to the Boondocks?

DJ Vlad: Yeah, it's a whole section in one of the episodes.

Complex: How did that come about?

DJ Vlad: I was like the biggest Boondocks fan on Earth already. And they had this Youtube channel called Boondocks Bootleg where they did these comedy skits by the writers from the Boondocks. One of the guys named Carl [Jones], who is like one of the main writers on the Boondocks, he plays this character named Tubesteak [in the Youtube videos]. I was featuring some of the videos on VladTV. I reached out one day and i got a hold of Carl and he was telling me how he was a huge VladTV fan. Like the whole Boondocks staff watches VladTV everyday for like inspiration for the Boondocks episodes, because we have a little bit of drama that goes on in the website. We actually ended up doing a couple skits together, like DJ Vlad meets Tubesteak. It's videos on VladTV, you go to VladTV and you can find it. That was like last year some time, like last summer. And then one day Carl reached out to me saying that they have this part that I would be perfect for. They try to incorporate actual reality elements into Boondocks, like at one point they had Sway from MTV doing certain things. So they had this part that DJ Vlad and VladTV fit well in.

Complex: Could you give us like a synopsis about what happens?

DJ Vlad: I'm not sure I can do that, so I'd rather not. I don't want to get any of these guys in trouble. I will say, it has to do with beef of some sort. I can't comment on it. You'll have to watch the episode and find out. These guys will kill me if I did. But like I said, you can actually see me in the clip with Thugnificent. It's at VladTV studios. So I'm sure you can come up with a situation which probably isn't going to be too far from the reality of what actually happens.

Complex: What role does your character play in the episode? Is it just a minor character?

DJ Vlad: I wouldn't say that I'm the focus of the episode.

Complex: So it's like a DJ Vlad cameo?

DJ Vlad: Yeah, you could say that.

Complex: How did you think you came off? The show certainly parodies a lot of people...

DJ Vlad: I love it man. I'm a cartoon on a major show—at least in hip-hop it's a major show. I love it.

Complex: Going in, did you have any worries like, "Man, they might make me look like Thugnificent or Gangstalicious?"

DJ Vlad: To make me gay?

Complex: Yeah, to make you look gay, or foolish, or parody you in some way?

DJ Vlad: Well, they actually gave me the parts to read. So I didn't know how they would chop it up and which parts they wouldn't use. But I had already read the part, I don't know how they could make me look foolish. It's not like they said, "Hey, we're going to be doing a character on you and when it comes out you'll see what happens." I'm actually playing myself and reading my own parts. It's cool man. I'm happy.

Complex: Do you see yourself working with them more and becoming a regular on the show?

DJ Vlad: Well, Carl and me have a really good relationship. I went down there and they showed me a couple episodes. Me and him been in touch ever since we meet. I know he just came out with a new series called Freaknik. I didn't even see it yet to be honest, I just saw a trailer. But Carl is one of the main artists and one of the main writers. I've never actually got to work with Aaron McGruder directly, I was just working with Carl. We be kicking around different ideas. We've done skits together, even live action skits. We did the Boondocks thing together so I'm sure there'll be more stuff in the works.

Complex: Do you know when the episode with you in is going to air?

DJ Vlad: I don't. I know the premiere is May 2nd, but that's it.

Complex: You seem like a really big fan of the show.

DJ Vlad: I am, man. I really think that since Chappelle's Show was canceled, I felt like this show really stepped up, in terms of a show that makes fun of hip-hop culture from the inside point of view and parodies it so well. I think it hasn't been done since Chappelle's Show. It kind of disappointed me when I saw the trailer and it said, "The Final Season". I was like, "Aww man." But at least we got another season.